In the Cards
by Iggycat
Summary: When Arthur loses his memory, Alfred is given a single chance to reclaim it. But when that opportunity lands him in an unknown land where he's immediately proclaimed king, will he still be able to bring his husband back to the world they left behind? USUK
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. Rights go to the respected owners. Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.****

_A/N: Hey so I've read quite a few USUK cardverse stories with Alfred and Arthur as King and Queen of Spades, and I decided I wanted to try my hand at it. I've never written a fantasy story before so please bear with with me. Anyway, this is more of a prologue-ish chapter but I hope you enjoy. The story should enter the cardverse realm in the next chapter :)_

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><p>"Come on, Artie. Pick up."<p>

I smacked my old cell a few times before balancing it between my ear and shoulder. I struggled to sort through some of the papers I was holding as I waited, but really it was a lost cause.

"_Hello?"_

I smiled at the familiar voice on the other line.

"Arthur! Awesome, you answered."

"_I do try to do that when people ring, love_."

I chuckled a bit as I reorganized some of the files and documents in my hands. I was standing by the window, watching as a few raindrops trickled down the glass.

"Right. Anyway, I know it's kinda crappy out right now, but we're still up for dinner later, right? I told you I wouldn't forget our anniversary!"

Arthur was blushing on the other line, I was sure of it. He still got flustered over small sentimental things like this, even though we had been married a year, and dated for three years before that.

_"Yes, that's fine. Are we meeting at the flat?"_

"Yup! What time works for you?" I glanced at my watch momentarily. "I get off in an hour, then factor in another hour for the rush hour traffic-"

_"What traffic? You take the Underground home."_

I chuckled again, mindlessly.

"Always so perceptive. Well, then factor in an hour-long train ride; I'll probably be home around seven."

_"Alright then. Lest there be any emergency I should be home around six. I'll freshen up and then we can go."_

I smiled gently though I knew my husband couldn't see it.

"Great. I'll see you soon."

_"See you soon, love,"_ he answered me, and I suddenly had the urge to hear his voice again before he hung up.

"Wait, Arthur."

_"Yes?"_

"I love you."

I was sure he was shaking his head in his office on the other side of London.

_"I love you too, Alfred."_

I grinned at nothing in particular as the line went dead.

* * *

><p>I'd lied about being home by seven. Though it was crowded, I got on the train just fine, but the conductor announced there was work being done and so I had to transfer lines twice and take a bus just to get home. I'd tried to call Arthur before I transferred to the Victoria Line, but he didn't answer; he must have been busy. By the time I arrived at our little apartment it was a quarter to eight, and I had this feeling Arthur would be furious. Good thing I picked up that bouquet of roses at the local florist before opening the door.<p>

"Arthur! I'm home!" I chanted as I slipped off my shoes, else he get on my case about scuffing up the floors. My coat was a bit damp, since the rain had continued to pour. The meteorologist had been wrong about it clearing up, but I should have expected it by now.

"Arthur!" I called again when I didn't get a response. Maybe he was still doing himself up, though he should have finished quite some time ago.

Our flat was small: two bedrooms and a joined living room and kitchenette. Arthur complained sometimes, saying we could afford a bigger place, but I would always ask what it mattered if we shared a bed and never had any guests anyway. Arthur would frown and change the topic but I was never quite sure why. I didn't mind our cozy flat, but somewhere along the way I'd decided that if a bigger home would please Arthur, I'd get one. He still doesn't know I've got that secret savings account.

I pushed open our bedroom door without knocking. At worst, Arthur would be naked inside and yell at me, and at best, he'd be naked and sprawled across the bed. I took my chances and stepped inside, calling him again, but there was no one there. Our bed was still unmade, and a newspaper lay open on Arthur's bedside table. I smiled knowing what had happened: he'd gotten caught up in a story that morning and lost track of time. In a panic he rushed to get ready for work, tossing the paper aside and not bothering with the bed. But if the room was still in the same condition Arthur had left it in, that would mean he hadn't been home yet.

I frowned and made my way back to the living room, wondering where Arthur could be. I dropped the bouquet on the table, now a bit more preoccupied with something else, and pulled out my cell. There were no new messages. Arthur usually spared a few seconds to tell me if there had been an emergency and that he'd be home late. He was a veterinarian, and while usually all that entailed was kitty checkups and diagnosing minor doggy illnesses, Arthur was a practiced animal surgeon and sometimes he was needed. There were days where he would come home at three or four o'clock in the morning, red-eyed and somber, and I'd welcome him to bed where he'd chastise me for having waited for him. He would give in after awhile though, and on the worst days, the ones where he couldn't save the animal, he would pretend not to cry into my shirt. Arthur, even with his austere and hoighty-toighty attitude, really was a soft-hearted guy. He loved working with animals and I knew it pained him when luck was not in the cards. Eventually he would stop his sniffling and settle into a slow and rhythmic breathing pattern as he drifted off to sleep. Only when he was in dreamland would I be able to find sleep as well.

I speed dialed his number and held the phone to my ear.

_Ring._

_Ring._

_Ring._

_"Hello you've reached Arthur Kirkland. I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the ph-"_

I cursed under my breath as I pocketed my cell and maneuvered to the window. It was unlikely, but maybe Arthur hadn't been able to find a spot in the car park and that was what was keeping him so late. I think I stood at the sill for ten or fifteen minutes in a reverie, waiting to see Arthur turn the corner in our Mini Cooper. I would have stared even longer had the home phone not started to chime, and broken me from my trance. I ran toward the telephone and answered frantically hoping to hear Arthur on the other line. Maybe he'd gone to the restaurant by himself? Maybe he'd meant to meet me at the office and I'd misheard him earlier?

"Arthur, I promise you I have a really good reason for being late, and I am really, really sorry," I tried in the sweetest tone I could muster and put on puppy dog eyes, though no one could see them.

"I'm sorry?" A female voice answered me and my eyes widened in shock and embarrassment.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was expecting a call from someone else."

"Ah, I see," the woman replied lethargically. She sounded like she'd been working a double shift. "Are you Mr. Kirkland-Jones?"

My brows furrowed and I anxiously started to thrum my fingers along the small wooden table that balanced the phone.

"Yes, that's me. May I ask who's calling?"

The woman sighed slightly before answering the question.

"My name is Eleanor. I'm calling from the London Bridge Hospital. Your husband has been in an accident and if possible, we think it would be best if you could make your way here as fast as possible."

My blood ran cold and I didn't hear anything else. The woman started to give me directions but I was already bursting out the door and down the stairs of the Underground station. The train ride across the city was the absolute worst hour of my life.

I pushed my way past several people dawdling down the street and dashed into the bustling halls of the hospital. Everything was a deathly white, and I could already smell the bleach and other chemicals that felt so out of place. A middle aged man was talking to someone behind the counter, and I bounded up to them, all remnants of being polite and composed thrown to the wind.

"I need to see Arthur Kirkland-Jones," I tried to demand, though it came out as a desperate plea.

"Sir, there was someone ahead of you-"

"Please," I looked at the woman behind the counter sincerely. "They told me he was in an accident. I need to see him."

She exchanged a look with the man she'd been talking to earlier, and when he nodded, she started to hastily type away into the computer. After a few moments she looked back up at me.

"Who are you in relation to Mr. Kirkland-Jones?"

"His husband," I answered without a second thought. Usually Arthur and I tried to break our relationship to people in a bit more subtle fashion, but I was hardly in the right mind. She looked at me with wide brown eyes and then back at the computer.

"Oh... umm, well, your husband is still currently in the emergency room," she tried to remark softly. "He was in a car accident and received several concussions to the head."

I tried to hold myself together as I looked at her with glossy eyes. I lowered my head and wiped away some moistness.

"He, he's going to be fine... right?" I whispered, trying to assure myself more than question the young nurse. She frowned at me and got up from her desk, leading me to a chair in the waiting room.

"When I get any news, I will let you know, okay sir?"

I nodded as she walked away. For the next four and a half hours I fiddled with my wedding ring, as my mind worked on overdrive to replay every memory of Arthur I ever had. He was going to be fine. I was going to fine.

"Everything will be fine," I mumbled to myself as my eyelids started to become heavy. "Everything will be fine."

* * *

><p>Someone shook me awake some hours later. It was the young girl who had led me to the waiting room. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, which were still rather puffy from tears, and glanced at her.<p>

"Your husband has been moved from the ER. You can see him now if you like," she offered with a small smile.

"He's alive?" I asked incredulously. My brain had assured me he was dead. That phone call yesterday was surely the last time I would ever hear his voice.

"Yes," she answered me as kindly as she could considering the circumstances. "Though he has sustained some severe head trauma."

I frowned as I got up and started to follow her.

"Is he in a coma? Oh God, please tell me he'll come out of it."

She looked back at me and shook her head lightly.

"He's awake. However, suffering from several concussions may make it a bit hard for him to think. Don't pressure him too much."

"Thank you, God," I mumbled as she stopped outside a standard white door labeled with an assortment of letters and numbers.

"Be gentle with him, he's still recovering. The doctor will be with you shortly," she turned the knob and I entered. There I found Arthur, with bandages wrapped around his head and hands. He was glancing at me from where he lay on the white sheets. I would have cried out in happiness just at seeing him alive, but I didn't want to disturb him or anyone else. I made my way toward his bedside and he followed me with his eyes.

"Arthur," I whispered elated. "Arthur, you're okay."

He looked at me curiously for a moment as I took his hand.

"You're not the doctor."

I smiled and chuckled at his joke.

"Nope! You're the only one of us who's had any medical training."

I ran my thumb lightly along his wedding band, but as I tried to intertwine our fingers he retracted his hand. My smile disappeared as I matched his gaze.

"Arthur?"

"Who are you?" he looked at me with concerned eyes. I furrowed my brows and tried to grasp his hand again, but he moved away.

"Arthur?" I think I sounded distraught even as I tried to keep my cool.

"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met. Are you one of the nurses?"

My face paled, any color seeping from my cheeks to my toes. I never saw them coming, but those few words became my worst nightmare.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Such a positive reaction on the last chapter! Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the support. Also thanks to aviatea on tumblr who betaed the first two chapters for me. Updates will probably not be this rapid, but for now enjoy chapter two!_

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><p>"Arthur, I... you don't...," I tried to put together a coherent thought. "Please tell me you're joking," I mumbled at long last.<p>

He frowned at me lightly, the way he used to do when I would make him watch a stupid internet video that he didn't find funny.

"I'm sorry," was all he said again.

"No." I shook my head, denial taking over. "No, no, no, no!" I shouted and watched as Arthur covered his ears and cringed.

"Mr. Kirkland-Jones, I'm going to have to ask you to quiet down. Screaming is not something people generally want to hear in a hospital."

I turned around and found a small man closing the door to the room. He was wearing a white doctor's coat with his name and title embroidered in the top right. His face was pale, but he was smiling softly, which really angered me. How dare he be smiling when my husband had just stared death in the face and now he was alive but he didn't... he couldn't...

"My name is Dr. Väinämöinen," he said as he stuck out a hand. I stared at him blankly. After a few seconds he withdrew his hand and replaced it in his pocket. He motioned to a chair at Arthur's bedside.

"Why don't you take a seat?"

I did as told, though I watched him closely as he walked toward Arthur, noting a few things on his clipboard.

"Ah, doctor," Arthur said with a small grin. He leaned toward the doctor and lowered his voice. "Does this man have clearance to be in here? I think he's delirious."

"Arthur! How could you think that?" My fists curled and I looked at him desperately. I'd stood from my chair, but quietly sat down again after my outburst. The doctor and Arthur stared at me for a moment, before Tino whispered something to him and then made his way toward me.

"Can I speak with you outside, Mr. Kirkland-Jones?"

I nodded and got up, but as we neared the doorway, I turned back.

"Wait, no, I don't want to leave Arthur. Maybe he'll remember if I stay here long enough. Just give it a few more minutes."

"Mr. Kirkland-"

"Please?" I asked, my eyes imploring. I glanced at his hand and caught sight of a glimmering ring. "You're married. Try to understand. Maybe if I can just spark some memories, he'll have one of those dramatic epiphanies, like in the movies ya know? And everything will be normal! Everything will be like it was!"

I felt a tear trickle down my face and quickly wiped it away with the base of my hand. The doctor frowned gently, and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Mr. Kirkland-Jones, we have run multiple tests on your husband and he has sustained some serious head damage," he replied, looking thoughtful. "Though, I do understand love and compassion as well as sympathy. You may spend a few more minutes with your husband, but when you're done, ask one of the nurses to come and find me."

He left with a bittersweet smile, and after a few moments of silence, I turned back to the man who I was still determined would remember me.

Arthur was following me with his eyes again. I tried to force a smile as I pulled the chair up to his bed and sat down.

"Didn't the doctor want to speak with you?"

"He said I could have a few moments with you first."

Arthur hummed a bit in response, apathetic as he looked around the room.

"So... you really don't remember me?" I asked after a few moments. He glanced back at me, and I caught those emerald eyes and started at them for all they were worth. "Think. My name is Alfred. I'm... I'm..."

He looked at me confused, waiting for a response. He wore the expression he usually did when he thought I was lying, and that made my heart clench.

"You're what?" he asked quietly after a moment and shook his head in the negative. "I'm sorry, but... I think I would recognize that accent. Yet, I don't recall a single thing."

My shoulders drooped and I visibly sulked at his reply.

"Alfred. Alfred F. Jones. We met when you took a year abroad in the States."

He knitted his brows together and I could tell he was thinking. We sat in silence for a few moments.

"Alfred," he said unexpectedly, and I was so contented that I jumped from the chair, knocking it over with my enthusiasm.

"Yes, yes?" I said standing not a foot from his bed. His eyes widened considerably, and I tried to ignore it as he pulled away from me a bit.

"I was just going to say, that the only Alfred I've heard of is Mr. Hitchcock."

I deflated. My face fell and I ran a hand through my hair, trying to calm myself, but eventually I lost it. The tears started streaming and I moved my palm to cover my face. I started to shake from choked sobs and I didn't realize Arthur had taken my hand until he called to me.

"Sir," he said, careful not to mention my name again. "Are you quite all right?"

I held back more tears, quickly wiping my eyes. That was Arthur, always so polite. I forced a smile.

"No, I'm not, but it's good to know you still care," I whispered as I squeezed his hand. He squeezed back, lightly.

"I think I'm gonna go see the doctor now, okay?"

He nodded as I let go of his hand, and took a step toward the door.

"Of course."

I took another step, my eyes not leaving Arthur for a second.

"But if you need anything, or ya know..." I looked at the floor for just a moment. "...if you remember anything, let me know."

"I'll do that," he said with a nod.

Another step.

"It's Alfred. You'll remember, right?"

"Yes, I don't think you'd let me forget."

And before Arthur could realize his slip of the tongue, I slid from the room.

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><p>I wandered the halls for a few minutes before running into a nurse. He was a young man, with a bright smile, and he easily directed me to Dr. Väinämöinen's office. I was told to wait there for a moment while he fetched the doctor, and that's exactly what I did. Väinämöinen's office was neat. There were a few files piled up on his desk though there were no strewn papers to be seen. Plastered on his walls were several diagrams of the human body, specifically the brain. I wondered if he was some type of specialist that dealt with amnesia and mental disorders, or if it was just luck of the draw.<p>

"Hello again."

The door closed with a soft click, and the doctor took his seat across from me.

"Shall we start over?" he asked and stuck out his hand again. "I'm Dr. Väinämöinen, but call me Tino."

I grasped his hand and shook it weakly.

"Alfred. Alfred Kirkland-Jones," I responded. "I'm sorry about earlier. I was confused...I'm still really confused..."

"It's all right, this happens. I know family can be very protective. You're just being a good husband."

I took the compliment with a small smile.

"Well thanks... I guess."

It was silent as the doctor fiddled with some papers and I twiddled my thumbs. There was a very long and pregnant pause, but someone had to deal with the elephant in the room sooner or later.

"So that's it? He's just forgotten everything?" I asked after awhile.

Tino looked up, studying me, before he continued. He put down his papers and folded his hands.

"Not exactly. You see, we ran a few tests on your husband before you were let in. He has sustained memory loss, yes, but not in every area."

I must have looked puzzled, as he continued without a second thought.

"Standard things, basic concepts, he remembers, but it's not just that. We asked him what he did at work yesterday, and he was able to give me a detailed synopsis of exactly what animals he diagnosed, what they had, and what should be given to cure them. It seems his occupational knowledge is still intact."

I raised an apprehensive brow.

"But then, if he remembers everything about his job, why can't he remember me?"

"Well, you are not occupational knowledge, are you?"

I gave the doctor a worried look and let him go on with his explanation.

"You see, he clearly remembers his practice, and he can remember things you might consider a bit trivial as well."

"Like what?"

"Well, in addition to things like the year and where we were, he was able to tell me what the Prime Minister said in his last question session as well as recite a poem he had memorized at some point."

"...but those are such irrelevant things."

"Yes, it seems that your husband has retained impersonal information. But when we asked him about his family, he could name no one. And then we asked about friends, and again the question stumped him. It's as if all personal and private records have vanished."

I shook my head vehemently.

"No, no, please tell me there's a way to fix it. There's gotta be therapy or something, right? I can't just let all our memories vanish into thin air. That would mean... the repercussions..." I paused, refusing to come to terms with myself. "...We'd have to start over."

He had a sad expression on his face, and by this point, I started pleading with him.

"Please, no. Tell me there's a way! Medication, therapy, something! I love him, and I can't... I can't lose the Arthur I had..."

Tino stood up from his chair and moved toward a filing cabinet. I watched as he removed something and retook his seat.

"I can offer you a chance, but that is it."

My response was immediate. I sat up straight and at attention, nodding at him furiously.

"Oh, thank you. Yes, please, anything. I'll try it."

Tino nodded and opened up the file. He pulled out a diagram of the brain and pointed to different places as he explained things to me.

"I'm a neurological specialist, so I've been studying cases of amnesia for a very long time. I've developed a theory as to how the brain might sort material when severely injured, as your husband was."

I nodded to show him I was following.

"I think, that there's is a possibility the information, your husband's memories of you in this case, may have been misplaced in a different part of his brain."

"Wait. Doesn't that hippo part hold all the memories?"

The doctor smiled and let out a small laugh.

"The hippocampus does house memories, yes, but that's not what I meant. I think there is a possibility that your husband's memories have been lost in another realm, one of his creation.

I paused with my mouth open and sent him an incredulous look. His kind and calm demeanor did not change in the slightest.

"Another realm that he created? What, like Wonderland?"

"Something like that, yes. We create alternate universes that we tend to only visit in our dreams. I think it is possible that memories of you, and others, may have been sorted there by mistake."

"So, you think Arthur remembers me, but I'm lost in his dreams?"

"Exactly."

I frowned at the doctor.

"Well, what good is that? How can we get the memories back?"

"You'll have to get them back."

"Me? What?"

"You will have to pay your husband a visit in dreamland."

This time I truly looked at the doctor as if he were insane.

"Is... is that even possible?"

He stared at me a bit more serious now, before folding the file back up.

"I'm not sure. We've developed preliminary technology, but we've never tested it out. You would be our guinea pigs so-to-speak."

"Oh, well that's comforting."

"I understand if you're not interest-"

"No!"

Tino's eyes widened in surprise, as I stood from my chair and leaned over his desk.

"I'll do it. Hook me up to whatever you've got."

A few hours and shots later, Arthur and I were both attached to the most high-tech technology I'd ever seen in my life. That might have been my cue to worry.

* * *

><p>"You're sure this is safe?" I asked Tino, looking down at the pale green hospital gown I was wearing.<p>

"No," he answered with a smile and I bit my lip. They'd already sedated Arthur and hooked him up to some machinery, and he was lying in what looked like an MRI scanner. There was another scanner directly adjacent to his that was meant for me.

"Great."

Tino started to enter something's into his computer, and about ten minutes later he turned to me.

"Are you ready?"

I swallowed harshly.

"Wait, before we try anything, I need to know how to bring Arthur's memories back to the real word. Ya know," I made a motion to the space around us. "This." Tino looked pensive for a moment but then shook his head.

"That is not something I would know. You'll have to do your best to remind him of things, fill in the gaps of what's missing. After all, not all the memories will be the same once you get there, some will have been altered."

"Altered?"

"Yes. Consider that you are in a new realm, where everything is made by your husband's subconscious. If your memories _are_ there, they will be mixed with elements of the fake world he has created for himself. You're going to need to help him distinguish between the two."

"If Arthur were in his right mind, he would never let me do this."

The doctor laughed quietly but quickly settled down.

"Do you have any more questions before we get you ready?"

I closed my eyes and thought about it for a few minutes. I really shouldn't have jumped into this without weighing all the consequences, but I was kind of a rash guy, and for Arthur I would do anything.

"Yeah... Wait, one more thing," I replied as a thought dawned on me. "How do we get back here? If something goes wrong... or I end up in the wrong place."

"If my theory is right, and you're able to recover your husband's memories, he should awaken upon the realization. Snapping him from dreamland should bring you right back as well."

I nodded.

"And if there is an emergency, try to wake yourself up. That will be the only way to travel back to this world."

I nodded again, and took a deep breath.

"I really don't know what I'm getting myself into."

Tino clapped me on the back.

"Does that mean you're ready to start then?"

I fisted my hands at my sides and closed my eyes.

"Yep. I've gotta do this for us, for Arthur."

He smiled at me one last time before I lied down and was moved into the scanner. Some attendants started attaching wires to my head and arms as Tino gave orders. Somewhere along the line I was given a sedative, and I could feel myself starting to fall asleep.

"Be careful!" Tino called, before my eyes shut. "And if anything goes wrong, try to wake yourself up!"

There was a bit more poking and prodding before everything went black.

* * *

><p><em>"Psst, Willow, come here!"<em>

_"What do you want? Rhoslyn, I told you not to bother me while searching the flowers."_

_"No, seriously, Willow! This is really important! More than pixie dust even!"_

Who were those voices? Were they part of Tino's staff? They didn't sound familiar.

_"Willow, Willow!"_

_"Oh, what is it, you stupid pixie girl-"_

There was a gasp.

What happened? Did something go wrong?

_"It's the King! He's been found! Alert the Queen! Get the Royal Militia! We have to bring him back safely!"_

_"Right, right! Should I go right now?"_

_"Yes! Go! Tell the guards you have an urgent message for the Queen. The King's been found! He's safe! Spades can rejoice!"_

Spades? What? And who were those voices?

I blinked my eyes open for just a second and caught sight of two fluttering butterflies, both shades of brilliant blue. The two of them were... talking to each other? That didn't make any sense. My eyes felt heavy, and before I knew it, the world returned to darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: What did I tell you about updates being irregular? Haha, well enjoy! And thanks to my friend tumblr user adachis for betaing this chapter :)_

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><p>Was that a piano? I could hear classical music coming from somewhere, but I might have just imagined it. My head still felt heavy and I found it impossible to open my eyes. But even without my sight I could feel I was in a new place. I ran my fingers gently against what should have been the MRI scanner but felt something soft. Sheets? Was I in a hospital bed? Had the procedure gone wrong somehow?<p>

I shifted myself, trying to find a bit of a more comfortable position, but as I did that, I noticed the music stopped. I tried to tune myself into my surroundings, but my eyelids still felt like bricks.

"Alfred?" a soft voice whispered carefully, and I felt the bed dip.

I knew that voice. I loved that voice, but my mouth, like my eyes, seemed to be malfunctioning. I couldn't open or close it, and no sounds emerged from my lips.

"Alfred, love, please wake up."

Thin fingers carded through my hair and I tried to reach up and touch them. I moved my hand slowly, and as it peeked out from whatever covers I was under, it was immediately taken.

"Alfred! Alfred, can you hear me?" said the eager voice, as the thin fingers wrapped around mine and squeezed my palm. I still lacked the ability to smile but I squeezed in return, and I heard the sigh of relief that escaped his lips.

"You're all right. My God, you're going to be okay," he rushed out in a frantic but relieved voice. His lips descended on mine and in that moment everything returned. I opened my eyes and squeezed his hand, as the sudden energy rejuvenated me. I made a strangled noise and he pulled away with a look of concern, which melted into elation when he saw I was conscious.

"Alfred," my name slipped from his lips as he smiled.

I can't say I felt much different. I'd opened my eyes to find Arthur there, sitting next to me on a large and ornate bed. He was wearing an unusual outfit and I probably would have noticed more of the oddities of our surroundings if I weren't so happy to see him. He was right there, in front of me, and he remembered my name.

"Arthur," I smiled back with wet eyes. I didn't wait a moment more before I pulled him toward me and enveloped him in a tight hug. I guess I thought if I kept him close I wouldn't lose him again.

He embraced me back with just as much force, trembling fingertips reaching up to touch my face.

"Yes, I'm here. I'm here, Alfred."

I pulled back with a brilliant smile on my face, and peppered Arthur's face with kisses. I wanted to kiss him everywhere, I wanted to hear that shy giggle and his sigh of happiness, and I wanted to make sure he was there, real. He did chuckle, squirming a bit nervously as he usually did, until he lightly pushed me away.

"What's this?" he asked curiously, and I just grinned and brought him into another hug.

"I'm just so happy you're okay. You're back. You remember, God this is great."

I leant forward to kiss him again, but he held a finger to my lips and looked at me with a raised brow, a look of pure confusion on his face.

"I'm back? What are you talking about, Alfred? You're the one that's been missing for weeks."

"What?"

It was about then that I looked away from Arthur and noticed the room we were in. It was massive, and covered tip to toe in gold. On the wall hung beautiful tapestries of men on horseback charging into battle, and every piece of furniture in the room looked like antiques from the Victorian Era. There was a worn looking piano in the corner, presumably the one I'd heard earlier, but that was odd considering Arthur didn't know how to play the piano.

I looked back down at the massive bed I was in, and noticed it too was golden, with the headboard engraved with an intricate crown and patterns of spades everywhere. The blanket in my hands was one of the few things not made of gold, and I clutched the deep blue fabric in my fists, before looking back at Arthur. This dream room I was in was beautiful, and I had to make sure to tell Arthur if we ever made it back.

I took another moment to examine his outfit more closely now and realized just how strange it was. He was decked out in a plain white dress shirt but atop that he wore a navy colored waistcoat with eight golden buttons. His pants were a cinnamon like color, again normal except for the golden button that adorned them. There was also one other thing Arthur was wearing that had me confused.

"Are you wearing a cravat? Really?"

He glanced down at his attire and back at me with small frown.

"I wear this most days, just as you wear something similar."

At that point Arthur moved a hand to my forehead and pushed me back down onto the mattress.

"Alfred, are you feeling well? I'll call a nurse in to make sure you're all right."

He made a move to get up but I grabbed at his wrist and brought him back down. His expression was still worried, but he sat and brushed some stray locks of hair from my face.

"Don't go," was the first thing I managed though there were a myriad of things I wanted to say. I glanced at the ceiling, which was also elaborately decorated with spade symbols and the like, and then back at Arthur. He took my palms in his and smiled tenderly.

"Alfred, after that escapade, I will never let you go again," he moved closer to kiss my cheek and I shuddered at the familiar feeling.

"What happened?" I managed to ask him, and he scrunched his rather prominent eyebrows once again.

"You should be telling me," he replied with a squeeze of his hands. "Six weeks ago you headed out with your two most trusted knights to visit Diamonds, and a day into the trip you vanished. The knights returned to notify me of your disappearance and for days I was out searching for you."

He raked his hand through my hair once more, and I tried to remember every word that slipped from his lips. I needed to make sense of this dreamland if I was gonna be here for awhile.

"The kingdom was on high alert. They were already without a King and they worried so, that something would happen to me as well. They forced Yao to stay lest the whole monarchy vanish into thin air," he let out a bit a depressed giggle and continued to run his fingers through my hair. I noticed the name Yao sounded familiar, he was one of Arthur's close coworkers, but I didn't mention it.

"I searched by day for three weeks and when I could manage, I snuck away from the Militia that traveled by my side to search by night as well. Francis even sent out a troop of his best knights to help look for you and still we could not find a single trace. When a month had past Yao urged me to return to the kingdom and make plans to hold your funeral. It took some convincing but eventually I relented. I knew it would be best if I allowed the kingdom to mourn its King."

Francis? That name also sounded familiar; he was one of Arthur's old friends from college. And king? I was a king here? I looked to Arthur confused but he sent me a reassuring smile once again.

"So we made plans for your funeral, and of course the week of the event you turn up in the middle of the Frost forest," he shook his head at me but it was in fondness. "Some faeries found you and they came to alert me at once. I rode out as fast as possible, and there you were, out cold on the grass."

Faeries? I was so incredibly confused but it dawned on me again that this was Arthur's dream realm. The mythical creatures suddenly made sense but the fact that he'd made me King of this realm made me blush slightly.

"But you're safe, and that's all that matters," Arthur said as he finally retracted his hand. However once seeing my bemused look he tested my forehead for a second time.

"Are you sure you don't want me to call a doctor in? You're quite warm."

I took his hand and rested it on the royal blue covers of the bed.

"Nah, it's just a lot of information to take in at once, you know?"

Arthur cocked his head slightly in a way that said _'No, I don't know_.' I bit my lip but tried to follow along.

"So I'm King huh? And what is my kingdom called?"

Arthur frowned slightly, and I knew that I was worrying him. Maybe his dream version of me was much smarter than I actually was.

"Yes, you're Alfred, King of Spades. The mightiest of the Four Kingdoms."

My mouth formed a line and Arthur must have thought I was drawing a blank again.

"You do remember the Four Kingdoms don't you? Spades, Diamonds, Hearts, and Clubs?"

I of course didn't remember the kingdoms, but I nodded as if I did. I knew nothing about the dream world I was in, and so I had to take in every ounce of information Arthur was spoon-feeding me.

"Named after the suits of cards? That's cool," I smiled at him, trying to convince him I was all right. Unfortunately it didn't work.

"I'm calling in a doctor."

This time when he rose I didn't stop him. I let out a sigh I hadn't realized I was holding in and leant my head back against my pillows.

* * *

><p>After being examined by the doctor, a man who looked nothing like Tino, Arthur returned and retook his seat on the edge of my bed. He rested a hand comfortingly on my leg and raised his head to speak with me.<p>

"The doctor can find nothing wrong with you. He thinks perhaps it's just the stress of the situation that's straining your mind right now."

I nodded and scooched over to make room on the bed, and pat the newly freed space next to me. Arthur moved to lie next to me and his head lolled onto my shoulder.

"That makes sense," I assured, glad to have caught a lucky break. "Maybe we can spend awhile going over some stuff?"

"Of course. We can't inform the kingdom that you're back if you're not well enough to serve yet." He blindly searched for my hand and I intertwined our fingers. A sudden rush of emotion came over me and I turned to smile at Arthur.

"That's fine, I'm just so glad you're here, or I'm here, or whatever. I'm glad we're both here."

Arthur cocked his head, but he had a silly, lopsided smile on his lips.

"Yes, you'll definitely need a few days to rest," he said with a roll of his eyes and I laughed. That was the Arthur I remembered, smart and sweet and oh-so witty.

I turned sideways to hug him and then rolled us over so he was below me, and I balanced myself on my knees and elbows.

"Why don't we start resting tomorrow?" I said with a smirk and kissed his lips again. I took his head in my hands as he returned the kiss, and ran my fingertips along his cheeks. He reached up to wrap his arms around my neck and entangle his hands in my hair again, and I smiled at the sensation. I pulled away from Arthur's lips to kiss his jaw and neck, but as I did he pushed me away rather forcefully.

"Alfred, not tonight," he tried to keep a serious expression though a pink blush was seeping its way onto his cheeks. "I'm not even ready for bed yet, but that's beside the point." He moved into a sitting position and leaned forward to trace my cheek. "You know we only share our chambers once a week."

My eyes widened, and I stared at him as if he'd grown another head.

"What?"

He started to shuffle off the bed, but this time he was grinning at my confusion.

"I'm fairly certain this time you're just pretending to forget so that I'll stay with you."

"What? No!" I shook my head trying to show I was truthful. "We are married, right?"

He nodded, and smiled fondly at me.

"Yes, you chose me as your Queen, and I now rule beside you."

I stayed quiet for only a minute.

"But you have your own room?"

Arthur rolled his eyes and then rapped his knuckles lightly on my forehead.

"Have you retained anything at all? We live in a castle, Alfred. Of course I have my own room."

We lived in a castle? Well I guess I should have expected it considering I was a king here, but still. Funny thing was, I was more concerned with the fact that we didn't sleep together than anything else.

"And you only share the bed with me once a week?"

He raised his brows in an amused manner and nodded.

"So we only have sex once a week? Fuck," I said closing my eyes and sighing.

Arthur simply laughed as he got up and made his way out the door.

"Goodnight, Alfred."

I groaned and fell back against the wall of pillows. Surviving in this world was gonna take some serious endurance.


End file.
